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Abstract:

An asymmetrical aging control system is described. This system actively
varies associated dedicated circuits in a manner that minimizes power
consumption, while preventing asymmetrical aging.

Claims:

1. Asymmetrical aging control system associated with a dedicated circuit,
comprising: a first selection device adapted to be coupled to an input of
the dedicated circuit; a second selection device adapted to be coupled to
a mode changing control input of the dedicated circuit; a third selection
device adapted to coupled to a clock input of the dedicated circuit;
control logic for receiving an input signal, transmitting a scan data
signal to the first selection device, and transmitting mode control
signal to the second selection device; a register for transmitting random
data for the second selection device; and a counter for transmitting a
first count signal to the second selection device and the register, and
for transmitting a second count signal to the third selection device,
wherein the asymmetrical control logic uses a scan path associated with
the dedicated circuit for varying data on at least one of the inputs of
the dedicated circuit in a manner that minimizes power consumption of the
associated dedicated circuit when the associated dedicated circuit is
inactive.

2. The asymmetrical aging control system of claim 1, wherein an output
device is coupled to an output of the dedicated circuit.

3. The asymmetrical aging control system of claim 2, wherein the output
device further comprises a device selected from the group consisting of
an AND gate and a state machine.

4. The asymmetrical aging control system of claim 1, wherein the register
is a linear shift register.

6. The asymmetrical aging control system of claim 1, wherein the first
count signal is transferred from a most significant bit of the counter.

7. The asymmetrical aging control system of claim 6, wherein the second
count signal is transferred from a most significant bit minus 1 of the
counter.

8. The asymmetrical aging control system of claim 1, wherein the first
count signal is transferred from a most significant bit of the counter.

9. A computer readable medium with logical functions for controlling
asymmetric aging of dedicated, comprising the steps consisting of:
enabling asymmetric aging control on all of the dedicated circuits;
disabling asymmetric aging control on active dedicated circuits;
monitoring a state associated with each dedicated circuit; disabling
asymmetric aging control for a first dedicated circuit associated with an
activate request; and deactivating a second dedicated circuit associated
with a deactivate request.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising activating
the first dedicated circuit in response to disabling asymmetric aging
control for the first dedicated circuit.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising activating
asymmetric aging control associated with the second dedicated circuit in
response to deactivating the second dedicated circuit.

12. A router having a plurality of slots for expanded capacity,
comprising: an ASIC for facilitating data transmission to each of the
slots and comprising a plurality of dedicated circuits associated with
the slots; and asymmetrical aging control circuit for either enabling or
disabling a plurality of asymmetrical aging control logic, and each
asymmetrical aging control logic is associated with each of the dedicated
circuits, wherein each of the asymmetrical aging control logic uses a
scan path associated with the ASIC for varying data on its inputs in a
manner that minimizes power consumption of the associated dedicated
circuit while the associated dedicated circuit is inactive.

Description:

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

[0001] With the evolution of electronic devices, there is a continual
demand for enhanced speed, capacity and efficiency in various areas
including electronics. With this quest for efficiency, there may be a
corresponding concern for reducing power consumption. Consequently, there
remain unmet needs relating to power reduction solutions that reduce
asymmetrical aging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] The asymmetrical aging control system may be better understood with
reference to the following figures. The components within the figures are
not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly
illustrating the principles of the asymmetrical aging control system.
Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding
parts or blocks throughout the different views.

[0003] FIG. 1A is an illustrative environmental drawing illustrating a
router that includes an asymmetrical aging control system (AACS) in a
master control within an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0004] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating one implementation of
components within the ASIC of FIG. 1A.

[0005] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components within one of the
dedicated circuits of FIG. 1B.

[0006] FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating one implementation of a
dedicated circuit associated with the AACS.

[0007]FIG. 3B is a table that indicates how the control logic block of
FIG. 3A selects a particular mode.

[0008] FIG. 3C is a block diagram illustrating a second implementation of
the dedicated circuit associated with the AACS.

[0009]FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating steps of one implementation for
controlling asymmetric aging.

[0010] While the asymmetric aging control system is susceptible to various
modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown
by way of example in the drawings and subsequently are described in
detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of
specific embodiments is not intended to limit the asymmetric aging
control system to the particular forms disclosed. In contrast, the
intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives
falling within the spirit and scope of the asymmetric aging control
system as defined by this document.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0011] As used in the specification and the appended claim(s), the
singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the
context clearly dictates otherwise. Similarly, "optional" or "optionally"
means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may
not occur, and that the description includes instances where the event or
circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

[0012] FIG. 1A is an illustrative environmental drawing 100 illustrating a
router 110 that includes an asymmetrical aging control system (AACS) 120.
The router 110 may exchange data with various other devices, such as the
computer system 111, printer 115, or the computer system 113. More
specifically, the router 110 may include an application specific
integrated circuit (ASIC) 130 that facilitates communication with these
devices using elements 140. For the router 110, these elements may be
ports, such as port cards 141-149. Any numbers described in this document
are for illustrative purposes only, since numerous alternative
implementations may result by varying numbers without departing from the
innovativeness of the AACS 120. The router 110 may also include a
dedicated circuit group 160 (sub-chips) that controls the group of
elements 140. For example, the dedicated circuit 161 may control the
element 141, while the dedicated circuit 167 controls the element 147.
While this implementation shows a one to one correlation between the
number of elements and the number of dedicated circuits, an alternative
implementation may have a two to one, three to one, or some other
suitable correlation.

[0013] At some point, the ASIC 130 may need to exchange data with devices
that previously were not connected, such as computer system 117 or device
119. To minimize power, the dedicated circuits 167-169 may have been in a
low power state, such as an inactive state, because the elements 147-149
were empty. While in this low power state, the AACS 120 actively varies
these dedicated circuits in a manner that minimizes power consumption,
while preventing asymmetrical aging. When the computer system 117
connects to the element 147, a control signal disables the AACS 120
asymmetrical aging control of the dedicated circuit 167 and subsequently
enables the dedicated circuit 167 communication with element 147. In
response, the AACS 120 stops actively varying the dedicated circuit 167,
while still actively varying the element 169. Thus, the AACS 120 may only
minimize power consumption, while preventing asymmetrical aging for
dedicated circuits in a low power state.

[0014] The environmental drawing is only one of many possible environments
where the AACS 120 may be used. For example, numerous alternative
implementations may result from adding more than one ASIC or having the
ASIC 130 exchange data between more than one group of elements. In an
alternative implementation, the AACS 120 may be included within another
type of device, such as a security system, server, or the like. For that
implementation, the elements 140 may be expansion slots for additional
security feeds or increased server capacity respectively; the device 117
may be a video camera or a hard disk drive. In short, the AACS 120 may be
used in any environment where there are unutilized components that may be
used at some time in the future.

[0015] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating one implementation of
components within the AACS 120. This AACS includes a selection device
group 170 and a generator 180 that collaboratively keep the dedicated
circuits group 160 of FIG. 1A active to limit asymmetrical aging. For
this selection group, there is one selection device for each dedicated
circuit. For example, the selection device 171 associates with the
dedicated circuit 161, while the selection device 175 associates with the
dedicated circuit 165. For an alternative implementation, there may be
fewer devices in the selection device group 170 than there are circuits
in the dedicated circuits group 160. For example, the selection device
179 may associate with two or more dedicated circuits 169a-169n. The
generator 180 may include one or more elements that may transmit a clock
signal or a data signal and a clock signal. The selection device group
170 may control all of the dedicated circuits in the group 169a-169n.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram 200 illustrating scan elements within a
scan path for the dedicated circuit 210 that is controlled by the AACS
120. These scan elements are interconnected in a ring that is sourced
from the AACS 120 via scan input 221. The output 223 of this scan ring is
not used in conjunction with AACS, but is necessary for normal test. For
each scan ring of a dedicated circuit 210, the scan input 221 can be
sourced from a generator (e.g., generator 180), and a selection device
(e.g., selection device 175). As illustrated, the dedicated circuit 210
may receive data as input signals 212 and transmit output signals 214.
For example, the dedicated circuit 210 may receive a signal from either
an associated element or from another dedicated circuit as input signals
212. Similarly, the dedicated circuit 210 may transmit output signals to
either an associated element or to the master control 110. In other
words, this dedicated circuit may become a conduit for transmitting data
between a device in the element group 140 and another circuit, such as
another dedicated circuit.

[0017] The dedicated circuit 210 may include numerous devices 220 that use
a scan path, or scan ring, 225. For example, the devices 220 may be data
flip-flops that may utilize a scan path arrangement for serially passing
data from one flip-flop to the next. While the scan path 225 is shown
with logic devices 220 that make the ring, the dedicated circuit also
includes a cloud 230. This cloud is a pictorial representation of various
logic devices that may either receive from or transmit data to one of the
logic devices 220 within the scan path. As illustrated, this cloud of
logic devices may receive the input signal 212 directly or the input
signal may be sent to a device 232 on the scan path 225. Also, the cloud
230 may directly receive data from or transmit data to one of the devices
220 on this scan path. Similarly, the output signals 214 may come
directly from the cloud 230. Alternatively, the output signal may come
directly from either device 234 or device 236. In another implementation,
the cloud may also receive the output signal from the device 234.
Moreover, these are merely a few of the many possible implementations of
the dedicated circuit 210.

[0018] FIG. 3A is a block diagram 300 illustrating one implementation of
the AASC 120 that may receive a control signal on connection 305. The
asymmetric control logic 310 is one implementation of the AACS 120. The
control signal 305 enters a control logic block 312, which may select
between various modes.

[0019] The asymmetric control logic 310 also includes a register 314 and a
counter 316 that receives a functional clock; this register and counter
are elements within the generator 180 described with reference to FIG.
1B. This register may be one of many types of registers, such as a linear
feedback shift register that is used to produce random data for input to
the scan in port 221 of dedicated circuit 320. Selection devices, or
multiplexers 317-319, receive signals from the control logic 312,
register 314, and counter 316. These devices select which of the signals
on their input get passed to the dedicated circuit 320.

[0020] Finally, the block diagram 300 can also include an output device
330 that prevents the output signal 309 from changing state when AACS is
enabled. As a result, dedicated circuit 320 appears inactive to other
circuits. Note that output signal 309 may be a single output or a
multitude of outputs that need to be placed into an inactive state. This
output device controls when the output signal 309 leaves this dedicated
circuit. The output device 330 may be a single logic gate, combination of
logic gates, or a state machine. For example, this output device may be
an AND gate in one implementation.

[0021] The operation of the block diagram 300 may vary depending on
whether it is either active or inactive. The register 314 may be a scan
register that transmits a pseudo-random pattern to the selection device
317. In contrast, the control logic 312 may transmit scan data and an
enable to this same selection device. By receiving a functional clock,
the counter 316 may transmit a first count signal that the selection
device 318 receives and a second count signal that the selection device
319 receives. The first count signal may differ from the second count
signal by one, two, or the like. For example, the count signal to the
selection device 319 may toggle at twice the rate of the count signal to
318. In the implementation illustrated in FIG. 3A, the selection device
317 couples to a scan input 221 for the dedicated circuit 320. In
contrast, the selection device 318 couples to a scan/capture control
input, while the selection device 319 couples to the clock input 302. The
selection devices 318-319 also receive an enable signal from control
logic 312.

[0022] Using the asymmetric aging control logic 310, it injects
pseudo-random data for each scan cycle and then evaluates the data from
the previous scan cycle during the capture cycle. More specifically, the
counter 316 may transmit the first count signal to the selection device
318 using the most significant bit, or MSB. Using the MSB to clock the
register 314 also allows generation of new random data for each scan
cycle. When the selection device 318 receives this first count signal,
this selection device may enable a scan mode, such that the selection
device 317 transmits the pseudo-random data received from the register
314. At some point later, the first count signal may change state such
that the selection device 318 may enable a capture mode. In this mode,
the previously scanned data propagates through the sub-chip 320. To
facilitate the switching between a scan mode and a capture mode, the
counter 316 transmits a second count signal to the selection device 319
using the MSB-1, which has a frequency of approximately twice the
frequency of the signal sent to the MSB. Consequently, the asymmetrical
aging control 310 toggles both a scan path associated with the scan mode
and a functional path associated with the capture mode. The selection
device 319 toggles the clock input of the dedicated circuit 320 by using
the second count signal and the functional clock. This toggling may be
done at one of many frequencies, such as approximately 1 Hz, 1.5 Hz, 2
Hz, or some other suitable frequency.

[0023]FIG. 3B is a table that indicates how the control logic block 312
selects a particular mode. As illustrated, the control logic block 312
may select a test mode, functional mode, or anti-aging mode. For
selection device 317, column 342 illustrates which input is applied to
the output 221. Similarly, column 344 and column 346 illustrate selected
inputs for the selection devices 318 and 319, respectively.

[0024] FIG. 3C is a block diagram illustrating a second implementation of
the AACS 120 and is shown as asymmetric aging control system 360, which
includes a counter 361. This counter functions substantially similar to
the counter 316. In operation, asymmetric aging control system 360 does
not inject random data into the scan path, but does minimize asymmetric
aging, by toggling a clock input to the dedicated circuit 370. In
operation, asymmetric aging control 360 differs from asymmetric aging
control 310 in that there is no injection of random data into the design.
In this method, data path aging would be accounted for by other means,
such as additional margining.

[0025]FIG. 4 is a flow chart 100 illustrating steps of one implementation
for controlling asymmetric aging. This may be implemented within software
as an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical
functions that can be embodied in any computer-readable medium within the
master control 110 (see FIG. 1B). This medium may be for use by or in
connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device,
such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other
system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution
system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context
of this document, a "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can
contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use
by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or
device. The computer-readable medium can be, for example, but, not
limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared,
or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More
specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium
can include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having
one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random
access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable
read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory) (magnetic), an optical fiber
(optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM)
(optical). Note that the computer-readable medium can even be paper or
another suitable medium upon which the program is printed. The program
can be electronically captured, via for instance optical scanning of the
paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed
in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0026] In block 410, asymmetric aging control (AAC) may be enabled on all
dedicated circuits associated with the element group 140. Elements may be
any kind of sub-system, such as port logic or any low frequency use
function where the circuit is off for an extended period of time. This
enabling may be done during an initialization mode. Block 410 is followed
by block 420. In this block, the AAC is disabled for all active dedicated
circuits. In other words, active dedicated circuits are dedicated
circuits that will be currently utilized. This block may include
additional blocks used in assessing the state of all dedicated circuits
and categorizing them as dedicated circuits to be activated or dedicated
circuits to be inactivated. For example, dedicated circuits to be
inactivated may include dedicated circuits that may be for adding
capacity at some point in the future, but may not be desired at this
point.

[0027] Block 430 follows block 420. In block 430, all associated dedicated
circuits may be activated. This activation may be done by performing
whatever tasks necessary to enable to the dedicated circuits to execute
under normal operating conditions, which may vary from system to system.
In block 440, all the dedicated circuit's states are monitored. This
monitoring may be done programmatically, mechanically, or by some other
suitable technique. For a programmatic solution, this monitoring may
involve periodically sending a test signal and assessing whether the
resulting signal is either inside or outside of a given threshold.
Alternatively, this monitoring may be done mechanically by applying a
predetermined voltage and waiting until the addition of a dedicated
circuit causes a state change or variation from the threshold. In
addition, this block may determine whether a dedicated circuit should be
inactivated or if the AAC should be inactivated. This determination may
involve analyzing either a dedicated circuit's possible functionality
relative to overall system needs or additional capacity, such as
bandwidth or storage.

[0028] If a dedicated circuit should be activated, block 450 receives a
dedicated circuit activate request. In response to receiving this
request, block 450 disables the AAC on the associated dedicated circuit.
This process may involve identifying the dedicated circuit mentioned in
the request, identifying the AAC associated with dedicated circuit, and
transmitting a disable for AAC via associated signal 305 for example. In
block 460, the associated dedicated circuit is activated. This may
involve fully powering the associated dedicated circuit.

[0029] If a dedicated circuit should be de-activated, block 470 receives a
dedicated circuit de-activate request. In response to receiving this
request, block 470 deactivates the associated dedicated circuit via
associated signal 305 for example. This process may involve identifying
the dedicated circuit mentioned in the request, identifying the AAC
associated with the dedicated circuit and transmitting a disable for the
identified dedicated circuit. In block 480, the AAC is activated. This
may involve toggling as described with reference to FIGS. 3A-3C.

[0030] While various embodiments of the asymmetric aging control system
have been described, it may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are
within the scope of this system. Although certain aspects of the
asymmetric aging control system may be described in relation to specific
techniques or structures, the teachings and principles of the present
system are not limited solely to such examples. All such modifications
are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure and the
present asymmetric aging control system and protected by the following
claim(s).